The Yankees’ starting rotation took another hit Saturday when Masahiro Tanaka was placed on the 10-day DL with mild strains of both hamstrings, suffered in Friday’s win over the Mets when he scored from third base on Aaron Judge’s sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth.
Manager Aaron Boone said Tanaka would be out “weeks,” but believed it was “very possible” he’d be back before the All-Star break. General manager Brian Cashman added it could be a month.
Ronald Torreyes was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take Tanaka’s spot on the roster, since they don’t need a starting pitcher until Thursday or Friday. Boone said the team was still considering its options.
The news came just days after Jordan Montgomery underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery.
Until Tanaka returns to the mound, the Yankees will have to test their pitching depth even more.
“It’s certainly unfortunate, but it creates an opportunity for others,’’ Cashman said. “We’re forced to find some things out in other areas with some other personnel. That’s always healthy, too.”
They’ve already replaced Montgomery with Domingo German, who started Saturday.
Other options could be Jonathan Loaisiga, a 23-year-old right-hander who has impressed with Double-A Trenton. Cashman also mentioned Luis Cessa, who has been out with an oblique strain and could make a rehab start with Class-A Tampa this week.
And with two starters out already, Cashman said he’d monitor the trade market.
“We’re always open to outside help, no matter what time of year it happens to be,’’ Cashman said. “But we also have internal options we can rely on. … It’s always important to have depth, no doubt about that.’’
Tanaka declined to blame the fact that, as an AL pitcher, he isn’t accustomed to hitting or running the bases.
“It’s not something I normally do,’’ Tanaka said through an interpreter. “But during interleague games, getting in the batter’s box and running is part of baseball. I’ve been doing this since I was a little kid. It’s on me that I got hurt. It’s not about the rules.”
He reported no significant change in the hamstrings on Saturday and said he’d get treatment for at least the next week.
Cashman admitted he doesn’t remember a player having suffered two hamstrings on the same play.
“I was surprised, to be honest,’’ Cashman said. “It’s just an unfortunate circumstance.’’
The DL news wasn’t surprising, since Tanaka admitted to being “pretty tight” following Friday’s game — after which Boone declined to second-guess the decision to send Tanaka by third base coach Phil Nevin, who tested Jay Bruce’s arm on the relatively shallow fly ball to right by Judge with the Yankees trailing by a run.
“You take who the person is into account,’’ Boone said of the send on Friday. “I don’t think you can play it in the top of sixth inning to not get hurt.”
The return of Torreyes gives the Yankees another utility player. He was sent down after Greg Bird returned from his rehab from ankle surgery, when the Yankees opted to keep Tyler Austin and a 13th pitcher instead of Torreyes.
Torreyes had been extremely productive in 22 games for the Yankees before he was optioned to SWB to make room for Bird, but was just 7-for-36 in nine games with SWB.
Still, Torreyes provides some needed versatility on the Yankees’ roster.